Fresh blood for VUWSA Trust: Former Exec members appointed

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The VUWSA Trust is about to get some fresh blood, after VUWSA last week appointed two new trustees to the board.

The Trust, set up in 1975, funds long term VUWSA projects and gives grants to students and clubs on campus. The last such large long term project was in 1992, when the Trust funded an extension to the Student Union Building.

Fifteen of the ninety-nine dollar compulsory VUWSA student levy goes to the Trust, which currently has around eight million dollars worth of assets. This money also acts as a backup fund in case Voluntary Student Unionism is ever brought in.

With several current Trust members indicting they would be leaving in the near future, VUWSA interviewed potential candidates at the last meeting of the Executive.

Former VUWSA President and NZUSA Co-President Fleur Fitzsimons was one of the successful candidates. While studying at Victoria she worked on many different University committees, including Academic Board and Student Job Search Regional Management Committee. She served as VUWSA President in 2002, and NZUSA Co-President in 2003 and 2004.

Described as “reasonably experienced” by current VUWSA President Nick Kelly, she says she is “really pleased to be able to make an ongoing contribution” to students and student welfare. Although she could name nothing specific, she was “really open minded” about future long term projects.

However, there is “no point having money sitting around in bank accounts”, she says.

The second trustee to be appointed is former VUWSA Clubs Officer Lee Patton. Although only having spent one year on the VUWSA Exec, Patton was involved in “a lot of our policy work” says Kelly. He brings to the Trust both experience in the legal profession and policy analysis.

Patton felt there was a need for a big project, but says it would depend on both the current financial situation of the Trust and the feedback he receives from students. Although he was uncomfortable discussing his ideas with Salient at this stage, he was “pleased and honoured” to have been appointed.

Nicola Kean: feature writer, philanthropist, womanly woman. Nicola is the smallest member of the Salient team, but eats really large pieces of lasagne. Favourites include 80s music, the scent of fresh pine needles and long walks on the beach.

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